The disclosure is directed to fiber optic connectors having a translatable ferrule with one or more optical fibers along with cable assemblies using the fiber optic connectors. More specifically, the disclosure is directed to ferrule-based fiber optic connectors having a balanced ferrule retraction characteristic for preserving optical performance.
Optical fiber is increasingly being used for a variety of applications, including but not limited to broadband voice, video, and data transmission. As bandwidth demands increase optical fiber is migrating toward subscribers in outdoor communication networks such as in fiber to the premises applications such as FTTx and the like. To address this need for making optical connections in communication networks for the outside the plant environment hardened fiber optic connectors were developed. One of the most commercially successful hardened fiber optic connectors is the OptiTap® male plug connector sold by Corning Cable Systems, LLC of Hickory, N.C., such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,090,406 and 7,113,679 (the '406 and '679 patents) and incorporated herein by reference. The Optitap® connector is a hardened male plug connector for terminating a cable that is configured for optical connection using a receptacle. As used herein, the term “hardened” describes a connector or receptacle port intended for making an environmentally sealed optical connection suitable for outdoor use, and the term “non-hardened” describes a connector or receptacle port that is not intended for making an environmentally sealed optical connection such as a SC connector.
FIGS. 1A-1C are prior art depictions showing various stages of mating of a preconnectorized cable 10 having a plug connector 5 such as an OptiTap® connector with a receptacle 30. Receptacle 30 mates plug connector 5 with a standard SC connector (i.e., a non-hardened connector) at a second end (not visible in these views) using an adapter sleeve for aligning ferrules when mating plug connector 5 with the a non-hardened connector. Protection of the non-hardened connector side of the receptacle is typically accomplished by mounting the receptacle 30 through a wall of an enclosure or the like so that the non-hardened end of the receptacle is disposed inside the enclosure for environmental protection of the non-hardened connector. As shown by FIGS. 1A-1C, the other end of the receptacle 30 is accessible for receiving the plug connector 5 at the wall of the enclosure. Other applications may mount the receptacle 30 inside an enclosure on a bracket or the like.
Receptacle 30 allows an optical connection between the hardened connector such as the OptiTap® male plug connector with a non-hardened connector such as the SC connector at nodes in the optical network that typically transition from an outdoor space to an indoor space. FIG. 2 depicts an exploded view of receptacle 30, which is described in further detail in U.S. Pat. No. 6,579,014. As depicted, receptacle 30 includes a receptacle housing 12 and an adapter sleeve 18 disposed therein. The receptacle 30 receives a non-hardened connector at a second end 16 as represented by the arrow pointing to the left. Adapter sleeve 18 is biased toward a first end 14 of the receptacle 30 that receives the connector 5 using springs 38. This biasing of the adapter sleeve 18 toward the first end 14 that receives the plug connector 5 is used for maintaining physical ferrule-to-ferrule contact between the plug connector and the SC connector to increase the “float” between the mating ferrules. When mated, the ferrule of the plug connector 5 is not latched to the adapter sleeve, and springs 38 of receptacle 30 are used for increasing the “float” between the mating ferrules of the plug connector and the non-hardened connector.
Network operators often desire to optically connect a first hardened connector to another hardened connector in a space that requires a rugged connection point, which receptacle 30 is incapable of accomplishing. Consequently, there exists an unresolved need for fiber optic connectors that can mate directly with to another hardened connector in a quick and reliable manner while providing a ruggedized solution that preserves optical performance.